


Headlines

by WindChimePheonix



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Coming Out, KissCam, M/M, Neil hates baseball, Post-Canon, Professional Exy (All For The Game), and I'm a sucker for Andreil coming out to the world fics, and they're in love, these kids are HEALING goddamnit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 02:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20369161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindChimePheonix/pseuds/WindChimePheonix
Summary: Neil had no idea why he had agreed to this PR event. Of course, of all things, it had to be a baseball game.At least Andrew was sitting next to him.





	Headlines

**Author's Note:**

> So I was super bored at a mandatory team bonding event at a baseball game (I hate baseball) and started thinking about Neil and his hatred of baseball...then I witnessed a real life KissCam (I honestly didn’t realize they were a real thing! Wasn't gay enough for me but I digress) and I started writing this in my seat.

Neil had no idea why he had agreed to this PR event. Of course, of all things, it had to be a baseball game. Neil didn’t understand why team bonding couldn’t happen on the court. As if sensing his thoughts, Andrew looked up from his cotton candy to glare at Neil. 

“Junkie,” Andrew murmured. Neil looked away, hiding his smile. At least Neil didn’t have to endure PR events alone anymore. It had taken them two years to get onto the same team, but now they were together playing for the Cincinnati Cyclones. Andrew looked good in navy and silver. 

A loud clang interrupted his musings. It was Lauren Anderson, starting backliner, who had leapt to her feet. She, unlike Neil, was intently watching the game and was apparently unsatisfied with the call. 

Neil laughed. “Alight there Anderson?” He asked. 

“Shut up Josten. Eyes on the game.” She fired back, reclaiming her seat and bumping shoulders with Neil. Neil mock saluted and turned toward the pitch. He could see Lauren nodding out of the corner of his eye and smirked.

He wasn’t watching the game. He was watching Andrew. The setting sun reflected off his hair, transforming it to stunning gold. His hazel eyes were flat, bored, as he tossed the empty cotton candy stick behind him and reached for his blue slushie. There was a small wrinkle between his eyes. Neil wanted to touch it. 

“Staring.” Came Andrew’s even tone. Neil said nothing, only moved his hand onto the hand rest between them. Hand holding was something they did now, although only when they were alone. 

Neil thought about earlier today, when Andrew had taken Neil’s hand while they were smoking on their balcony. Neil thought about how intimate it was, and a smile spread across his face. They had come so far in in seven years. Sometimes, Neil could hardly believe it was real. Any of it. Exy and Andrew and their apartment and their cats and their team. They deserved this. 

A cheer rose into a roar as the stadium collectively jumped to their feet. A glance at the board showed Neil that the Reds had scored a homerun. Clearly, this was a good thing. 

Lauren reached down and grabbed Neil’s upper arm, pulling him to his feet beside her, screaming in joy. Neil didn’t see what all the fuss was about, the batter wasn’t even running fast as he passed third base. But he clapped anyway, only a bit sarcastic. 

Andrew hadn’t moved, but he had reached the end of his blue slushie. He stood up, ignoring Lauren’s comment of “Even Minyard is excited!” and began to walk up the stairs, carrying his empty cup. 

Neil watched him go, then sat back down with Lauren. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a camera flash. He sighed, knowing that a picture of them together would be all over the media in a few hours. 

Neil liked Lauren well enough. She was good at Exy, and she protected Andrew on the court. It was reason enough to talk to her sometimes. Unfortunately, the media had documented their small interactions before or after games and ran with it. 

Neil Josten and Lauren Anderson...Cincinnati Romance???

The Real Deal About Josterson!

Neil Josten—Exy Badboy Settled Down At Last?

5 Times Josterson Made Us Swoon!

The headlines were everywhere, and they were a nuisance. Neil hated being closely examined by so many people over something that doesn’t involve Exy. They had fans, people obsessed with their relationship. Nicky had even forwarded him some links from something called archiveofourown, which was an experience Neil had tried to forget.

Andrew didn’t care, of course, but seeing those headlines while he was holding hands with Andrew in their apartment felt wrong to Neil. They had talked about coming out a few times, but Kevin’s gay athlete speech had always remained in Neil’s mind. What if he lost his sponsors? Or the team kicked them off? He couldn’t afford that, not with his deal with the Moriyamas. 

Recently though, it had become exhausting. No matter how many times Lauren and Neil had denied their relationship, the speculation continued. It didn’t help that neither of them was publically dating anyone. 

Their PR manager wasn’t much help. Her only advice had been to ignore it, or to date someone. And Neil was tired of ignoring it. 

Neil shook himself back to the present, and turned to Lauren. “Andreson, that was some nice footwork yesterday.” 

“You know it Josten. That assist Minyard had was crazy. You guys are so in sync.”

Neil let himself relax into the familiar topic of Exy. They chatted for a while, going over plays and discussing the stats of their next opponents: Kevin’s team, the Texas Longhorns.

“Oh hey look! KissCam!” Lauren said, gesturing to the big screen. Neil rolled his eyes, turning back to Lauren and trying to bring the conversation back to Exy. She was still watching the big screen. 

Without looking, Neil knew that Andrew had returned, another slushie in hand, and reclaimed his seat on Neil’s right. 

Huffing, Neil gave up talking to Lauren and stared into space vaguely in the direction of the empty baseball diamond. 

Suddenly, Lauren gasped and poked Neil hard on the shoulder. Neil turned to look and she jerked her eyes toward the screen. He saw himself and Lauren and about half of Andrew on the big screen. Big letters spelled out KissCam across the top.

Fans began to notice and the murmur of voices surrounded Neil on all sides. Neil looked at Lauren and saw his own panic reflected in her eyes. 

A hand on his chin pulled his face away. Andrew. His hazel eyes held the beginnings of fury. His jaw worked minutely, and Neil held his breath.

“Yes or no.” 

“Yes.” 

Andrew’s hand moved from Neil’s chin to his jaw, and they were kissing. Their lips brushed once, twice, three times. The kiss was short, but, like all their kisses, it still lit a fire inside of Neil. As Andrew pulled away, Neil kept his eyes closed, savoring the feeling. 

When he opened them he saw Andrew pick up his slushie like nothing happened. Neil sat back in his chair, stunned. Then, he smiled. 

Neil knew that no matter what happened in the coming days—meetings, angry PR managers, whatever mess the press could come up with, even a call from the Moriyamas—they didn’t have to hide anymore. 

As he reached for Andrew’s hand later that night and pulled up the newest headlines, he knew that it had been worth it. 

Breaking: Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard...College Sweethearts???

Deception! The Cheating Scandal That Broke Josterson Apart

Every Interaction Between Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard...Why Didn’t We See It?

5 Times Minston Made Us Swoon!

**Author's Note:**

> Annnnnd that's it! Let me know if you enjoyed it!


End file.
